The college football world is fighting a black day again. As we just headed out of a rebounding spring, Minnesota is looking to mount a breakout season with a slew of stars waiting in the wings for their role. Just before the community could get ready for the upcoming news, they were hit with the heartbreaking news of the death of one of their former players.

Former Gophers defensive back Charles “Ace” Rogers breathed his last the weekend while running the Brooklyn Marathon. He was eight miles into the marathon when he suddenly succumbed to a deadly cardiac arrest. The medical team immediately rushed to the spot, but he couldn’t pull around. The official X page of the Minnesota Gophers mourned the heart-wrenching news through a note. It reads, “Our hearts are broken as former Gopher Charles Rogers tragically passed over the weekend while running the Brooklyn Marathon. Our thoughts are with the Rogers family and all of his loved ones.”

Rogers spent two seasons with the Iowa State football program and two seasons at Minnesota. He suited up for 15 total Division I games, including 12 with the Cyclones in 2013. He played three games with the Gophers in 2015. Despite his tenure with the Gophers being riddled with a series of injuries, Rogers’s presence in the defense was a gift that the fans will cherish.

The tragedy descended upon the Ocean Parkway and 18th Avenue at 8:11 a.m., etching a lifelong trauma to the place and its visitors. His sudden demise left the whole athletic community numb with pain. Those who had the luck to get a piece of him, his dedication, his benevolence and his ever-gleaming spirit, can never let go of the part his soul assimilated in theirs.

Rogers, 31 at the time of his passing, was running the Brooklyn Marathon to support Team for Kids, an NYRR charity. He had announced his participation in a Facebook post on April 2. “Join me in supporting Team for Kids, a team of adult runners dedicated to raising funds for New York Road Runners youth and community programs.” In 2022, he also ran the New York City Marathon to raise funds for the same charity.

Known for his agility and spot-on instincts on the field, Rogers becomes synonymous with passion and fire on the field. More than a player, he has been a presence, a vibe worth dying for. He was an off-field maestro as well, a teammate who listened to his peers with careful ears, and a man who always put his team above and beyond himself.

“Charles put everything he had into everything he did. While he leaves behind a wife and family that already miss him terribly, he loved being competitive and left us being 100 percent himself,” his wife, Sydney Rogers, told DailyMail.

Family and Fans mourn the tragic death of Charles Rogers

Social media is flooded with the priceless memories of an athlete who chose to stand out on his own and mark his own legacy before he left this earth behind. The photos are still fresh, still lively with the helmet on, arms wide, eyes focused, and of the quieter moments, laughing with friends, mentoring young players, or simply enjoying life. One fan might find himself busy processing the grief and could only drop a word and thousands of emotions: ‘RIP Ace.’

The athletic community is also reacting to the sad news. Mark Zustovich, who had participated in Marathons in the past, had this to say. “The running community is so precious to me, so losing Charles Rogers, 31, while running the Brooklyn Half Marathon today is beyond heartbreaking. He was running to raise money for Team for Kids, which I supported during my run in the 2014 NYC Marathon. His wife says he died what he loved doing. ❤️”